Aloha bro. I still pop in and check out your grow, but just havent posted in a while, mostly because you seem to be doing great! I wanted to add my opinion to the leaf trimming question (I know you already did, but for future), DON"T DO IT. Like it was said above, branches (leaf and bud sites) down below that aren't getting any light can get cut, but don't do the opposite and cut stuff above to get light below and dont cut any leaves that in any way correspond to buds you want to grow. thats whats feeding them. the plants kill off the leaves that aren't needed very well on their own towards the end of budding. once a leave is more than 50% yellowed nearing the end of budding it can be pulled/cut, but not before and never anything all green.
On another note, part of the reason haven't been around much is I am working on moving me and the girls to a new place, getting things started over there, and still finishing up things at the old place. Got a new multi-strain journal running for the new trip, so come by and check it out when you get a chance, and the last batch of the sour d journal is in its last week.
Much Aloha and Happy Holidays!